Ross County returned to winning ways with a hard-fought 1-0 win over St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park.
Skipper Iain Vigurs netted the only goal of the game towards the end of the first half, with a free kick which deceived the Saints defence.
The result ends a streak of five matches without a win for the Dingwall men, who clocked up their first victory since winning away to Hamilton Accies on August 8.
County made one enforced change from the side which went down 5-0 to Celtic the previous weekend, with Oli Shaw replacing the injured Billy Mckay.
Saints, who were also coming in from a 1-0 defeat to Motherwell the previous weekend, started off brightly with Scott Tanser drilling just over the bar from a tight angle on six minutes. Three minutes later, Callum Hendry struck an effort wide from just inside the box following Stevie May’s cutback.
Stuart Kettlewell was forced into an early change after Connor Randall was withdrawn following a head knock, with Keith Watson brought on in his place.
The Staggies struggled to carve out clear openings in the first half, with a Michael Gardyne delivery deflected off the head of Shaw on 24 minutes, while Ross Stewart struck a low effort well wide from long-range.
County took the lead in bizarre three minutes before the break, with Vigurs floating in a free-kick from the wide right which evaded everyone before creeping in at Elliot Parish’s far post.
Saints were inches from a leveller on 57 minutes, when Jason Kerr’s low delivery from the right was met by Tanser at the far post, with his effort coming back off Ross Laidlaw’s crossbar.
There was little goalmouth action in the remainder of the second half, with Stewart seeing a header comfortably saved by Parish, before the attacker teed up Michael Gardyne who struck well over from long-range.
County survived late pressure to hold on for the victory, with Laidlaw making a crucial parried save from substitute Murray Davidson in the dying stages.
